The Two Companions: A Foreword about Eric Robertson and Cecile Walton

I have written a foreword for the reprint of The Two Companions: The Story of Two Scottish Artists – Eric Robertson and Cecile Walton by John Kemplay. It was originally published in 1991 and has been reprinted by Ronald Crowhurst & Co. Copies can be purchased for £12.50 including post and packaging by contacting me.

Eric Robertson (1887-1941)

Eric Harald Macbeth Robertson was born in Dumfries. He studied at the Royal Institution in Edinburgh and at Edinburgh College of Art. He was considered one of the most gifted students of his generation, but his frank drawings of the female nude were controversial. He met Cecile Walton, the daughter of the artist Edward Arthur Walton, in the Scottish capital and they married in 1914. They were members of the Edinburgh Group exhibiting society before their separation in 1923. You can find out about Robertson’s works in UK public collections on the Art UK website.

Cecile Walton (1891-1956)

Cecile Walton was born in London. She trained under Jessie M. King and John Duncan before enrolling at Edinburgh College of Art. In 1913, Walton began to show with the artists who became known as the Edinburgh Group after the First World War, including Mary Newbery and Dorothy Johnstone. She had a solo exhibition in the Scottish capital in 1920 and a joint one with Johnstone four years later. Walton’s marriage to Robertson ended in divorce in 1927. You can see her works in UK public collections here.

The Two Companions Foreword

In my foreword about Eric Robertson and Cecile Walton for the reprint of The Two Companions, I wrote about the deeply personal insight that the book provides into the artists. I explain that it transports tthe reader to the art scene of the Scottish capital and beyond during the first quarter of the twentieth century, which is a marvellous experience. The reprint comes thirty-five years afrer the book was originally published. During that time, Cecile Walton’s legacy has been reviewed in the light of growing interest in women artists and major works by both her and Robertson have since been acquired for public collections. John Kemplay has researched the artists and their cirlce for many years and writes with expert knowledge about the intertwining of their private and professiona lives. The Two Companions is a must for anyone interested in modern Scottish art.

You can find out more about Eric Robertson here and about Cecile Walton here. Dorothy Johnstone features in this post.